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Baraka V, Nhama A, Aide P, Bassat Q, David A, Gesase S, Gwasupika J, Hachizovu S, Makenga G, Ntizimira CR, Obunge O, Tshefu KA, Cousin M, Otsyula N, Pathan R, Risterucci C, Su G, Manyando C. Prescription patterns and compliance with World Health Organization recommendations for the management of uncomplicated and severe malaria: A prospective, real-world study in sub-Saharan Africa. Malar J 2023; 22:215. [PMID: 37491295 PMCID: PMC10367305 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-023-04650-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the gap between guidelines and local clinical practice for diagnosis and treatment of uncomplicated and severe malaria, the patient characteristics, diagnostic approach, treatment, and compliance to standard guideline recommendations. METHODS This was a multicentre, observational study conducted between October 2020 and March 2021 in which patients of all ages with symptoms suggestive of malaria and who visited a healthcare facility were prospectively enrolled in six countries in sub-Saharan Africa (The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, The United Republic of Tanzania, and Zambia). RESULTS Of 1001 enrolled patients, 735 (73.4%) patients had confirmed malaria (based on overall judgment by investigator) at baseline (uncomplicated malaria: 598 [81.4%] and severe malaria: 137 [18.6%]). Of the confirmed malaria patients, 533 (72.5%) were administered a malaria rapid diagnostic test. The median age of patients was 11 years (range: 2 weeks-91 years) with more patients coming from rural (44.9%) than urban (30.6%) or suburban areas (24.5%). At the community level, 57.8% of patients sought advice or received treatment for malaria and 56.9% of patients took one or more drugs for their illness before coming to the study site. In terms of early access to care, 44.1% of patients came to the study site for initial visit ≥ 48 h after symptom onset. In patients with uncomplicated malaria, the most prescribed treatments were artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT; n = 564 [94.3%]), primarily using artemether-lumefantrine (82.3%), in line with the World Health Organization (WHO) treatment guidelines. In addition, these patients received antipyretics (85.6%) and antibiotics (42.0%). However, in those with severe malaria, only 66 (48.2%) patients received parenteral treatment followed by oral ACT as per WHO guidelines, whereas 62 (45.3%) received parenteral treatment only. After receiving ambulatory care, 88.6% of patients with uncomplicated malaria were discharged and 83.2% of patients with severe malaria were discharged after hospitalization. One patient with uncomplicated malaria having multiple co-morbidities and three patients with severe malaria died. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that the prescribed treatment in most patients with uncomplicated malaria, but not of those with severe malaria, was in alignment with the WHO recommended guidelines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Baraka
- National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Tanga Centre, Hospital Street, P.O Box 5004, Tanga, United Republic of Tanzania.
| | - Abel Nhama
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Ministério da Saude, Maputo, Mozambique
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhica, Maputo Province, Mozambique
| | - Pedro Aide
- Instituto Nacional de Saúde (INS), Ministério da Saude, Maputo, Mozambique
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhica, Maputo Province, Mozambique
| | - Quique Bassat
- Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Manhica, Maputo Province, Mozambique
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Unit, Pediatrics Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu (University of Barcelona), Barcelona, Spain
- Consorcio de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Madrid, Spain
| | - Agatha David
- Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos, Nigeria
| | - Samwel Gesase
- National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Tanga Centre, Hospital Street, P.O Box 5004, Tanga, United Republic of Tanzania
| | | | - Sebastian Hachizovu
- Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Ndola, Zambia
- Ipafu Rural Health Centre Chingola, Chingola, Zambia
| | - Geofrey Makenga
- National Institute for Medical Research (NIMR), Tanga Centre, Hospital Street, P.O Box 5004, Tanga, United Republic of Tanzania
| | | | - Orikomaba Obunge
- Center for Malaria Research and Phytomedicine (CMRAP), University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria
| | - Kitoto Antoinette Tshefu
- The Hospital Center of Mont Amba Kinshasa, Kinshasa School of Public Health, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | | | | | | | | | - Guoqin Su
- Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation, East Hanover, NJ, USA
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Kiguba R, Karamagi C, Bird SM. Quality of care for adult in-patients with malaria in a tertiary hospital in Uganda. Malar J 2021; 20:178. [PMID: 33836769 PMCID: PMC8034187 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-021-03712-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prompt detection and appropriate treatment of malaria prevents severe disease and death. The quality of care for adult malaria in-patients is not well documented in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in Uganda. The study sought to describe the patterns of malaria diagnosis and treatment among adult in-patients admitted to the medical and gynaecological wards of Uganda's 1790-bed Mulago National Referral Hospital from December 2013 to April 2014. METHODS A prospective cohort of 762 consented in-patients aged ≥ 18 years was assembled. Proportions of in-patients who received preadmission and in-hospital anti-malarials, missed Day 1 dosing of hospital-initiated anti-malarials and/or had malaria microscopy done were determined. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify risk-factors for missed Day 1 dosing of anti-malarials. RESULTS One in five (19%, 146/762) in-patients had an admission or discharge malaria diagnosis or both; with median age of 29 years (IQR, 22-42 years). Microscopy was requested in 77% (108/141) of in-patients with an admission malaria diagnosis; results were available for 46% (50/108), of whom 42% (21/50) tested positive for Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasitaemia. Only 13% (11/83) of in-patients who received in-hospital injectable artesunate (AS) or quinine (Q) received follow-up oral artemether-lumefantrine (AL); 2 of 18 severe malaria cases received follow-up oral AL. Injectable AS only (47%, 47/100) was the most frequent hospital-initiated anti-malarial treatment followed by injectable Q only (23%, 23/100) amongst in-patients who received in-hospital anti-malarials. A quarter (25%, 25/100; 95% CI: 17-35%) of in-patients missed Day 1 dosing of hospital-initiated anti-malarials. Each additional admission diagnosis was more than two-fold likely to increase the odds of missed Day 1 dosing of in-hospital anti-malarials (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.52-4.56; P-value = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Half the malaria microscopy results were not available; yet, the rate of testing was high. The majority of in-patients initiated on injectable AS or Q did not receive the recommended follow-up oral AL. One in four in-patients delayed to initiate hospital anti-malarials by at least one calendar day. The hospital should encourage prompt availability of malaria test-results to promote the timely initiation and completion of anti-malarial treatment, thereby improving the quality of care for hospitalized malaria patients in Uganda.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Kiguba
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda.
| | - Charles Karamagi
- Clinical Epidemiology Unit, Makerere University College of Health Sciences, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Sheila M Bird
- Medical Research Council Biostatistics Unit, Cambridge, UK
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Elnour FA, Alagib MEA, Bansal D, Farag EABA, Malik EM. Severe malaria management: current situation, challenges and lessons learned from Gezira State, Sudan. Malar J 2019; 18:170. [PMID: 31088466 PMCID: PMC6515598 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2805-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Accepted: 05/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The present study aimed to evaluate the management of severe malaria at Gezira State hospitals in Sudan by assessing hospital readiness, health care provider knowledge and the care received by severe malaria patients. Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was performed to assess the severe malaria management practices at hospitals level in Gezira State. The study population included hospitals, health care providers and patients. Data was collected using checklists and structured questionnaires. Results A total of 20 hospitals, 158 health care providers and 370 patients were included in the study. Out of the total hospitals, 95% (19/20) were providing 24 h outpatient services, 65% (13/20) had ICU units, while triage system was found in only 35% (7/20) of hospitals. From all hospitals evaluated, 90% (18/20) were suffering from shortage of staff, especially doctors. About half of the health care providers (46.7%) did not receive severe malaria management training. The average knowledge score among health care providers was 55.4%. Microscopy was available in all hospitals (100%), while rapid diagnostic test, complete blood count and renal function test were available in 15 hospitals (75%). Fever was the most presenting symptom (97.8%) followed by repeated vomiting (51.4%), convulsion in children (24.3%) and prostration in adult (57.9%). Correctly diagnosed patients were 68.9%. Essential tests were done for only 11.1% of patients. Majority of patients (91.7%) were treated with quinine, 5.9% received artemether, while 2.4% were treated with artemether–lumefantrine. Those who received both the correct dose and dosing regimen were 53.8%. The overall compliance to guidelines was 2.2%. Conclusion This study highlights the fact that management of severe malaria at hospital level was suboptimal with serious shortcomings in the different aspects of care particularly in specialized hospitals. Technical staff was inadequate, hospitals were anguish from defective emergency services, and most patients were not treated according to the national guidelines. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-019-2805-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fahad A Elnour
- Communicable & Non Communicable Diseases Control Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health, Nile St, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Mohammed E A Alagib
- Planning and International Health Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health, Nile St, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Devendra Bansal
- Communicable Diseases Control Programmes, Public Health Department, Ministry of Public Health, Doha, Qatar
| | | | - Elfatih M Malik
- Planning and International Health Directorate, Federal Ministry of Health, Nile St, Khartoum, Sudan.
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Ampadu HH, Asante KP, Bosomprah S, Akakpo S, Hugo P, Gardarsdottir H, Leufkens HGM, Kajungu D, Dodoo ANO. Prescribing patterns and compliance with World Health Organization recommendations for the management of severe malaria: a modified cohort event monitoring study in public health facilities in Ghana and Uganda. Malar J 2019; 18:36. [PMID: 30736864 PMCID: PMC6368732 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2670-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2018] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Injectable artesunate (AS) is the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended medication for the treatment of severe malaria followed with an oral artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). There are few studies indicating how physicians prescribe injectable AS, injectable quinine (Q) or injectable artemether (AR) and ACT for severe malaria. This study was undertaken to evaluate prescription compliance to the WHO recommendation in 8 public health facilities in Ghana and Uganda. This was a modified cohort event monitoring study involving patients who were administered with injectable anti-malarial for treatment of presumed or confirmed severe malaria. Patients prescribed at least one dose of injectable artesunate, artemether or quinine qualified to enrol in the study. Patients were recruited at inpatient facilities and followed up in the hospital, by phone or at home. Following WHO recommendations, patients are to be prescribed 3 doses of injectable AS, Q or AR for at least 24 h followed with oral ACT. Compliance rate was estimated as the number of patient prescriptions that met the WHO recommendation for treatment of severe malaria divided by the total number of patients who completed the study by end of follow up. Log-binomial regression model was used to identify predictors for compliance. Based on the literature and limitations of available data from the patients' record, the diagnosis results, age, gender, weight, and country were considered as potential predictors of prescriber adherence to the WHO recommendations. RESULTS A total of 1191 patients completed the study, of which 93% were prescribed injectable AS, 3.1% (injectable AR or Q) with 32.5% prescribed follow-on oral ACT and 26% on concomitant antibiotics. 391 (32.8%) were in Ghana and 800 (67.2%) in Uganda. There were 582 (48.9%) women. The median age was 3.9 years (IQR = 2, 9) and median weight was 13 kg (IQR = 10, 20). Of the 1191 patients, 329 of the prescriptions complied with the WHO recommendation (compliance rate = 27.6%; 95% CI = [25.2, 30.2]). Diagnostic results (Adjusted prevalence ratio (aPR) = 4.56; 95% = [3.42, 6.08]; p < 0.0001) and weight (20 + kg vs < 10 kg: aPR = 0.65; 95% = [0.44, 0.96]; p = 0.015) were identified as factors independently associated with compliance. CONCLUSION Injectable AS is the most commonly prescribed medicine in the management of severe malaria in Ghana and Uganda. However, adherence to the WHO recommendation of at least 3 doses of injectable anti-malarial in 24 h followed by a full course of ACT is low, at less than 30%.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Hilda Ampadu
- The African Collaborating Centre for Pharmacovigilance & Surveillance, Accra, Ghana. .,Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
| | - Kwaku Poku Asante
- Kintampo Health Research Centre, Ghana Health Service, Kintampo, Ghana
| | - Samuel Bosomprah
- Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | | | - Pierre Hugo
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Helga Gardarsdottir
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Division Laboratory and Pharmacy, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Hubert G M Leufkens
- Division of Pharmacoepidemiology and Clinical Pharmacology, Utrecht Institute for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Science, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Dan Kajungu
- Makerere University Centre for Health and Population Research (MUCHAP), Iganga/Mayuge Health and Demographic Surveillance Site (IMHDSS), Kampala, Uganda
| | - Alexander N O Dodoo
- The African Collaborating Centre for Pharmacovigilance & Surveillance, Accra, Ghana
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